A Virtual Verdi: Voice of OC Highlights “La Traviata”

From the article:

[Stage Director Bob] Neu and St.Clair started batting around some staging ideas, and possible solutions soon presented themselves. “The more we talked through it and the more we thought about it, the more we realized that the ‘less is more’ concept could work,” Neu said. “There’s very little that the chorus sings that’s absolutely necessary to tell the story. They’re mostly adding atmosphere and commenting on things.”

Other aspects of “La Traviata” make it suitable for stripped-down adaptation, Neu surmised.

“It has one central story. There’s no subplot, there’s no, you know, gypsies throwing babies into fires or anything like that – just three characters who are essential to telling the stories. So when those things all kind of became clear for us, we really became convinced it could work.”

Thanks to Paul Hodgins for the excellent coverage in Voice of OC!

We hope you enjoy this clip of the incredible soprano, Cecilia Violetta Lopez, in her starring role as “Violetta” in “La Traviata,” performing the heart-breaking “Addio, del passato.”

Our virtual production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” debuts Saturday, June 5 at 7 p.m. PDT. You can buy tickets here.